Accessibility

A lift located just east of the library’s main entrance on Walton Street will take you to the Herget Welcome Center on the main level. You’ll find an additional accessible entry at the rear entrance on Oak Street.

Yes, there are elevators to the upper levels of the building, including the reading rooms.

Yes, public all-gender restrooms are available on the first floor. These restrooms are single-user restrooms.

Yes, public wheelchair-accessible restrooms can be found on the lower level as well as on the first and second floors. The first floor has single-user accessible restrooms.

Yes, there is a private lactation room on the first floor.

Elevators will take you to the Newberry reading rooms. After you check in with our staff, we’ll give you a desk and bring your requested research materials out to you. Accessible, adjustable desks are available in the Herget Welcome Center, the General Reading Room, and the Special Collections Reading Room. Adjustable microfilm readers can be found in the General Reading Room.

If you have any questions about accessibility in the reading rooms, please contact reference@newberry.org.

Labels for all Newberry exhibitions are presented in both English and Spanish.

We have holdings in many languages; to learn more about these materials, please contact reference@newberry.org.

Newberry exhibitions are located on the first floor and are accessible from the lobby. Exhibition items and interpretive texts are displayed on gallery walls and in elevated floor cases. We also offer guided English-language tours of large thematic exhibitions. If you have questions about tour accessibility, please contact Rebecca Haynes at haynesr@newberry.org.

We are continually working to improve the accessibility of our exhibitions. At this time, please be aware of the following:

• While some benches are available in the galleries, seating is limited.
• Lighting in the galleries is set at levels that will limit the accumulated effect of light on our collections. As a result, the lighting is low in some areas of the galleries.
• Elevated floor cases may be difficult to view for people in wheelchairs and for people with dwarfism.
• Some exhibition doors must be opened manually. If you need assistance, please let a Newberry staff member know.

Through the Listen EVERYWHERE app, the Newberry offers assistive listening for visitors with hearing loss at a variety of programs in Ruggles Hall.

The Listen EVERYWHERE app brings clear audio directly to your phone. It is available to download at the Apple Store for iOS and Google Play for Android. Just install the app, log on to the Newberry Wi-Fi, plug in your earphones, and choose from the audio channels offered. See complete instructions.

Most Newberry public programs take place on the ground floor of the library. If you have accessibility needs, we'll be happy to accommodate you. To reserve an access-friendly space in the room, email publicprograms@newberry.org at least 72 hours before the event. Seats arranged in this way will be held until 10 minutes before the event starts.

Yes, service animals are welcome in the building. Staff may ask if the animal is required because of a disability and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform.